


Class of 2008

by bunnysworld



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Reunions, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-12
Updated: 2015-07-12
Packaged: 2018-04-08 23:45:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4325460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bunnysworld/pseuds/bunnysworld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin doesn't want to go to his class reunion alone and asked Arthur to come along. But Arthur has issues of his own.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Class of 2008

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Merlinwriters tropes Bingo, squares class reunion and disabled character.
> 
> I have severe Internet issues at this Point in time (using someone else's Connection to do this), so this isn't beta'd and I can't make the entry on Merlin_writers. Will do that as soon as I'm back online at home

Arthur shook his head. „I’m not going!“

Merlin sighed. They’d been over this a few times. His school reunion was just around the corner and he had nobody to go with. He wanted to go, but it was embarrassing to show up alone again. The first couple of reunions, he didn’t mind so much, but the comments and teasing got to him more and more. His former class mates were right. What if he just wasn’t made for a relationship? What if there was nobody out there who wanted him?

“Merlin. I know you want to go. Why don’t you ask Percy?” Arthur grabbed his cane, got up from the couch and made his way to the kitchen of the little place they shared since Arthur had been back from his second turn to Afghanistan. Or rather since he was back from the hospital. 

“You know that Percy goes with Gwaine.”

“Lance?”

“Lance was at the same school, everyone knows he’s married.” Merlin tried not to pout. A few weeks ago, Arthur had agreed to be his plus one. Now, on the day of the reunion, Arthur pulled out. Okay, he had second thoughts pretty soon after but they had talked about it and Merlin really had thought Arthur would not leave him alone in this. 

Arthur came back with a bottle of water and made a face as he adjusted his leg sitting down on the couch again. 

“Is it because…” Merlin motioned to the leg. Arthur had been caught in ‘friendly fire’ and only made it out barely alive. Merlin hadn’t been too thrilled when Arthur had enlisted for a second tour into one of the most dangerous conflict areas of the world. He had been tense and worried all the time and the moment Morgana had called with the news that Arthur was injured, Merlin had freaked completely. Arthur was his best friend.

He was there for him in the time Arthur was at the hospital and rehab, drove him to physio- and other therapist appointments and to see doctors. He even offered Arthur to move in with him until he was able to live on his own again as the thought of going back to Camelot Mansion suffocated Arthur. It wasn’t always easy. In the beginning, there had been nightmares and nights that Arthur had been in pain. With a lot of setbacks and detours it had slowly gotten better and Merlin worked on Arthur participating in life again. So he had asked him to come along to his class reunion.

“No, it’s not only that. I…I just can’t.”

Merlin tried not to be sad. He knew about Arthur’s mood-swings, him changing his mind within seconds and the fact that he didn’t feel comfortable in crowds. This one time, though, he thought he had managed to convince him to get out of the house for an hour or two. Most of their friends would be there, too, so the crowd shouldn’t have intimidated Arthur too much. 

Looking over, Arthur had that distant look on his face that indicated that he was miles away.

“Arthur?”

Blinking, Arthur turned to Merlin again. “What? Oh…I’m sorry, it’s not just the leg. I just…can’t.” He shook his head slightly. “Go. Have fun. I’ll just stay here and…I don’t know…watch a movie or something.”

Merlin wasn’t sure if he should leave Arthur alone. 

“You’ve been looking forward to your class reunion for months, just go and meet your former classmates.” Arthur tried to smile encouragingly. 

Merlin wasn’t happy with this, but Arthur assured him again and again that he was okay and that Merlin shouldn’t worry about him, so he finally got dressed and waited for Gwaine and Percy to pick him up.

Arthur came over and readjusted Merlin’s shirt collar under the jacket. He smiled. “You look great.”

Waiting for the ‘but’, Merlin frowned slightly. It wasn’t like Arthur to hand out compliments like this one, at least not to him. “Thanks.”

+++

Merlin stood about at the reunion, sipping his drink. Gwaine, Percy and Lance, accompanied by Gwen, tried to assure him that he had done the right thing to come here and not be Arthur’s keeper for one night. Aside from being his best friend, he had no obligation to take care of him like he did and he had a right to some fun once in a while. 

Just…he didn’t have fun. He checked his mobile every few minutes and had the number of a taxi company on speed dial, so he could leave quickly if Arthur needed him. On top of it, everyone had pointed out that he once again was at the reunion alone. Some pointed the fact out, others added a good-natured comment that he would find someone, no matter how long it would take. Merlin had smiled and joked through those conversations but it stung anyway. That was him, the eternal loner. 

Setting his glass down, Merlin looked around. He would find one of his friends, tell him that he was leaving and then go home. 

“Merlin!”

Oh no! Forcing a smile onto his face, Merlin turned again. “Nimueh!”

“It’s so good to see you.” The fake smile on her face made Merlin’s stomach turn. Ever since they’ve started school, Nimueh had done everything to make it difficult for him, the little gangly nerd boy. That he had outgrown the gangly phase seemed to only spur her on. 

“Likewise.” He lied, not as smoothly as she did. 

“So, where is the lucky lady who finally caught you?”

He should have known. She would identify his weakest point without having talked to him for a second and mercilessly poke at it. “Couldn’t make it, so sorry.” 

A mean little smile showed on her face. “Alone once again. I’m so sorry, Merlin. A man like you should be father of three by now, living his happy little life in a happy little home with his happy little family.”

Merlin swallowed. He would never have kids or anything like that, even if he found someone, but he didn’t need to tell Nimueh, it would only give her more reasons to pick on him. As he took a deep breath, he felt a hand being shoved in his.

“We’re working on it.”

That Nimueh stared at the newcomer escaped Merlin as he did the same. Arthur! What was Arthur doing here? And how good he looked in his dark blue suit with a matching shirt and tie! And…what the heck was he doing? Merlin’s throat moved, but his thoughts swirled so fast that he didn’t make a sound. 

“I’m Arthur.” Merlin watched as Arthur turned his most charming smile on Nimueh, who blinked and stammered out her name. 

They exchanged a few fake pleasantries, before Nimueh all but bolted away to most likely spread the news as quickly as possible. 

Arthur smiled at Merlin. 

“How? What?...”

“You did so much for me in the past two years, so I figured, this was the right time to give something back.”

Merlin just looked at Arthur. This was the biggest ‘thank you’ he’d ever gotten. 

“I thought…let’s give them something to talk about.” There was a little grin on Arthur’s face. A grin that Merlin hadn’t seen in ages, one that he had missed.

Arthur held out his hand. “I can’t do much, but…would you care to dance?”

“Yes!” Merlin beamed but then the smile slid off his face. “But your leg…”

“I won’t be able to rock’n’roll, but it’s a slow dance. I can do that.” Arthur led Merlin to the dance floor and Merlin noticed that Arthur didn’t even have his cane along. 

He had no idea what this was all about, they’d have to talk about it later. For now, Merlin decided to just enjoy as Arthur pulled him close and kissed him softly.

There's a sequel to this now. [Coward](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4375016)


End file.
